Game of Thrones star unimpressed with Belfast

Mark Rainey

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has branded Belfast tourism as “depressing” during a light-hearted US television interview.

Harington, who plays Jon Snow in the popular HBO fantasy told the Late Night with Seth Meyers host on Tuesday that the Province ‘celebrated’ a ship that sunk on its maiden voyage, the most bombed hotel in Europe and now Game of Thrones - “the most depressing TV show in history”.

The actor was on the show to promote season five of the show which is being broadcast this weekend.

The series is filmed at the Titanic Studios in Belfast and at a number of locations across Northern Ireland.

Asking Harington about his experiences of the Province, the host pointed out that he spent “a lot of time in Belfast”.

Harington gave a wry smile and replied: “A lot of time in Belfast”.

He went on to say that the city is “wonderful for two or three days,” and when asked how long he’d been there, Harington replied: “Five years”.

Elaborating on his home from home, he said: “They’ve got a wonderful tourist board... it’s a wonderful depressing tourist board”.

Last year, a HBO executive apologised after saying Belfast was “not the most cosmopolitan of cities to spend half the year,” and that the show’s producers were having difficulties adapting to life in Northern Ireland.